![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
- [character study],
- [featuring: abby stevenson],
- [featuring: alex hernandez],
- [featuring: alicia hernandez],
- [featuring: austin thompson],
- [featuring: blake andrews],
- [featuring: don perez],
- [featuring: jason cummings],
- [featuring: nathan hargrove],
- [featuring: ricky camerino],
- [featuring: scott richards],
- [the muns thoughts]
[OOC] Les' Mad World
This post is primarily for the Mun to expand on Les' universe and her family. These may be things that are about Les that she's unaware of/doesn't or will not acknowledge or will simply expand and flesh out her world.
More will be added as time goes on.
The "Parents"
(227 words)
1) Michael and Angela were actually really excited to have a child. Initially. They were clean for most of the pregnancy - made sure they had a safe home (even if the neighborhood was bad) and got a room sorted out, a name was chosen (Alessandra Marie Morgan - Alessandra meaning "Defender of Mankind") and did everything they could to make sure they had a healthy little girl. It was during those first few weeks after her birth when things changed and the shit hit the fan. Having an infant wasn't easy and their past was coming back to haunt them... they wanted to drink and do drugs instead of raising their newborn daughter. The drugs and the alcohol won out.
Ultimately, they dug themselves deeper into the drug hole and alcohol puddle because it was easier instead of facing what their lives were becoming. When she entered grade school and started spending more time with friends, they were actually happy because it meant they didn't have to deal with her daily. When school forms needed to be signed, they always sat on the coffee table that was scattered with cans, bottles, and drug paraphilia with a $20 bill (sometimes more - depending on what it was). It was the only way she or one of the guys could guarantee that she'd be enrolled for the next year.
The Little Bodega Down the Street
(369 words)
2) Claudia, the older woman who ran the bodega down the street with her husband Jon wasn't thrilled with the little thieves at first. In fact, she had been initially upset and would talk to Jon about what they could do to deter it. But he told her: "Claud, next time, just watch and tell me what you see."
He was always so patient.
The next time, she did watch and took notice of how thin the boy was and how little the girl who stood by his side (or sometimes stayed outside) was. She knew they couldn't save everyone in the neighborhood, that wasn't their calling. But, if they could help those two little kids who looked like they didn't eat enough or have someone looking out for them, then they would do what little they could.
Something told her they wouldn't want their pity or handouts.
So.
She learned their names and what they liked or would come in for. And later, when Scott would come in, she would make sure she made a show of it but generally let them take the little bit they came in for.
In her store, she noticed they never took too much. Some Hostess snack cakes, a bag of chips, but the "biggest" was the bag of pepperoni, salami, or some sort of easy to store protein.
When they started what she assumed was middle school, she started to see them less and less.
When they did see them in the neighborhood, they had a few more friends, usually older guys (probably high school). Oh, she became so very concerned about that little girl and her other girlfriend. It was so easy to be taken advantage of in this neighborhood. But she remembered what Jon had told her all those years ago and simply watched. She saw how those guys took care of both girls, how they treated Scott and Jason - it wasn't in any sort of creepy or perverted way. No, they seemed to look out for them and protect them. Like older brothers would.
There are times when she feels guilty that they didn't do more or try to do more to help them. She hopes that she and their little bodega were able to be some sort of goodness in their obviously rough childhood.
The Best Friends (Jason + Abby)
(601 words)
3. Much like Scott and Les, Jason Cummings and Abigail Stevenson met each other when they were around 3-4 years old. Although the houses were larger in their neighborhood, kept up better and their parents had some sort of careers, they were just as negligent and had their own vices.
As soon as Jason was born, his parents hired a full-time live-in nanny and spent more time away from their son than they did with him. They had realized early on in the pregnancy that they “simply weren’t parenting material”, at least that’s what they’d tell Jason later on before he stopped taking their calls and moved out.
In those early years, they’d send money, kept the house going but they weren’t at all invested in his life. They made sure he had an education and whatever material things he needed but they were very hands-off. The nanny’s tried but they could only do it for so long before moving onto the next family. One that might be more present than Jason’s.
It was one of the early nannies in his life, that he could remember, that introduced him to Abby, who would become his first and best friend.
Her name was Julie and she was nice enough. She made sure he ate, was taken care of, and that he had plenty of opportunities to socialize with other kids his age. In the time she was with the Cummings, she had realized the family next door was rather busy themselves and had a little girl. One afternoon, seeing the mother return home looking a bit worn down, she offered to start watching the little girl alongside Jason during the day. It didn’t take long before her offer was taken up on and she had two three-year-olds to watch.
People thought she was nuts.
Truth was, they were good for each and kept each other entertained (and usually out of trouble).
Abby Stevenson’s parents were also rather wealthy, but they worked a ton. They had a large house and at some point, Les would take over a spare bedroom. They probably didn’t necessarily intend to be negligent parents to their daughter but being part of the Silicon Valley boom required a lot of work. They were grateful when the nice nanny next door offered to watch their three-year-old daughter and took her up on it within hours. It was nice that Abby would have a friend to play with and socialize with. She was a quiet child but very artistic. She enjoyed drawing, painting, and coloring. Jason was more outgoing than she was and would encourage her to try new things. It was Jason who introduced her to sports and her love for basketball.
When Julie ultimately had to move on and leave the Cummings household, she made sure she told the next nanny to keep the two together. Ultimately, she told them, it would make their jobs a lot easier. The first one after Julie, her name was Samantha, didn't believe it and didn’t take her advice right away. She had experience and knew how to handle a little boy. It was within 48 hours that she changed her mind and called the family next door to let them know she would be willing to watch Abby as well. It would be something that subsequent nannies would continue to do until Jason could take care of himself. Over the next few years, Jason and Abby came to rely on one another. When they entered Kindergarten, they were both very happy to learn they were going to the same school and would be in the same classroom.
It would be the first day of school where they would meet Scott and Les, who would become their best friends.
The Family
(1810 words)
4) Donovin "Don" Perez and Ricky Camerino grew up together. Their fathers had known each other and had worked/raced with each other for a number of years before that. They built some sort of wealth to pass onto their only sons and whether that had anything to do with illegal dealings, well whose to say. They bought rather large houses in between real estate booms when prices weren't exactly low, but they were low enough. Their mothers weren't in the picture but it's unclear where they went or what happened to them.
The two men taught the boys everything they knew about cars (and ultimately about driving/racing). Enough that when the two entered high school, they took every shop class they could and spent every free period in the shop just so they could learn more. It wasn't long before they started working on their classmate's cars outside of school. It was only logical they would start dreaming up their own autobody and detailing shop. Honestly, by the end of their senior year, they could have taught the entry-level classes.
By their senior year, their fathers were either gone or in prison or simply out of the picture. The houses were clean and paid off, so they went to Don and Ricky. Eventually, these would be consolidated into one household. It cost far too much to keep up two households when selling one would keep them going for a while. It would become a surprise to the both of them when they become the head of a household within the next couple of years.
Blake Andrews had moved to San Francisco from Oregon with his parents right before he entered high school. Honestly, if they were going to move, he was glad it was before high school started; it made it easier to start a new school year when you aren't the only new person in the class.
Blake met Austin Thompson first, they were both a couple of years younger than Don and Ricky. The first class they had together was a science class during their Freshman year where they both spent an inordinate amount of time drawing instead of paying attention to whatever the teacher was droning on about. Teens, amiright?
Another classmate introduced them by encouraging Blake to switch spots with him so he could sit next to a cute girl. It was okay, the girl annoyed Blake (she was cute but definitely not his type) so he took his new seat and pulled out the book and his sketchbook. Austin and Blake struck up a conversation that day and were as thick as thieves from then on. They would meet Don and Ricky in a shop class during their Sophomore year. They wouldn't start talking about opening a tattoo parlor until their Senior year.
When Nathan Hargrove entered high school, he only took the shop class because he figured it'd be an easy class. His family wasn't the wealthiest around but they weren't hurting for money either. They had moved south from Eureka, California when Nathan was in middle school and his parents were pleased when he quickly formed friendships with the other kids at school even though he was new. It wasn't that he was anti-social by any means, he was just particular about those he spent his time around.
He quickly formed a tight friendship with Alex Hernandez, who was a year younger than him, and they bonded over basically anything having to do with electronics. Their favorite was by far computers and how far they could push or learn about them. This would eventually lead them into some form of security and the ins and outs of hacking/penetration testing. But that was still a way off.
It wasn't until the fourth shop class that he noticed a few older students coming in during their class to talk to the teacher or help out in the shop. In fact, sometimes it looked like they were working on their own projects and to be honest, that absolutely fascinated him. One day, about halfway through his Freshman year, he overheard them talk about something to do with the car's electronic system that they couldn't figure out. While he knew less than they did about cars obviously, he had a gut feeling he could help them out. He introduced himself to Don, Ricky, and Austin that day and never regretted it for a second.
Alex had grown up in a single-parent household. His Mom, Alicia, was amazing and was always helping people out. She was the neighborhood's favorite, especially at the block parties - she'd always bring fresh churros and her infamous chiles en nogada. She worked as a nurse at a doctor's office in the neighborhood and always managed to be there for her son. She worried about him, she knew what boys without father figures could be exposed to in the rougher barrios and she never wanted that for her son. Alicia made sure to tell Alex that they were okay and he could come to her any time if he needed something and they'd manage. Alex meanwhile always worried about his mom. He knew how much she worked so she could provide a decent life for them in a city where it was hard to make it by.
As for Alex, he would be lying if he said he hadn't been a little jealous that his best friend was already in high school and making new friends. Imagine his surprise when Nate invited him over one day after school - it was well into January now and he introduced him to his new high school friends. Frankly, they seemed much cooler than anyone else he knew (other than Nate of course). He wasn't really sure what he could really add to their dynamic but it didn't seem to matter. They had all seemed to bond over cars and tattoos and well, he could get into that. If Nate could then he could!
Look.
They were cool high school guys. So, of course he wanted to fit in with them!
For his last elective in middle school, he decided to take a shop class. What could it hurt? Besides, taking it made him feel closer to his best friend and his new friends who were all in some sort of shop class in high school. This way, he figured, he'd have something to talk about. The class was filled with both eighth-graders and seventh-graders. This is where he'd meet Scott Richards and Jason Cummings. He could tell school was the last place where they wanted to be and honestly, they only showed up half the time. But, who was he to judge? After class one day, one that they had attended and didn't' sneak out during, Alex watched them walk straight to two girls who were waiting for them.
Honestly, the two guys were pretty guarded (later Alex would understand why) but he would always say hello to them and ask how they were. Sometimes the trio was paired up together on various tasks. Gradually they became less guarded around him and after class one day
even introduced him to the two girls who were always either waiting since their class always got out earlier than theirs or were waiting just down the hall.
With how Scott and Jason always acted around Les (she was never introduced as Alessandra) and Abby (short for Abigail, a name she refused to answer to), he always assumed they were two young couples. He was surprised to find out they weren't and were just simply protective of them. It felt so easy to ask them to come home with him one day after school. He knew that his Mom would want to meet them and honestly it looked like they could use a good meal (or two). They were hesitant and declined the first time and the second time. But after the third time (and making sure his Mom was okay with the company), they accepted.
Alicia loved them from the moment they walked into the house and invited them over as much she could. She didn't want to overwhelm them. She could tell they weren't used to much affection. Alicia made sure they knew that even though Alex was going to high school in the next year, they were still welcome at their house.
When the four moved up to the eighth-grade (by the skin of their teeth, let's be real) and Alex went to high school, the group felt a pang of loss. Not that any of them would exactly admit it but it had been nice to have a friend in school that wasn't, well...them. People leaving and not doing what they say is something they've grown to expect.
So, it was a surprise when Alex kept in contact by calling or texting them. Alicia made sure to text at least once a week to make sure they were doing okay and to see if they needed anything. She also invited them over to dinner often.
One night, during the first semester of eighth-grade/ninth-grade, Alex called up Scott and Jason to see if they wanted to come over and meet some friends that he'd made. He wasn't sure if it was appropriate to invite Les and Abby yet since he wasn't sure what the other guys would think of two girls coming into the picture. Not only that but he had a feeling that Scott and Jason would want to vet them first.
That night, Scott and Jason met Don, Rick, Austin, Blake, and Nathan. Scott and Jason try to play badass but Alex can tell that Don and Ricky saw through it. He hadn't known the oldest members of the group for long but he knew they grew up together (from what Nate had been able to pick up and learn from them) and had gone through rough patches themselves as two kids. Les and Abby were brought up in the conversation by Alex since he knew the four were never apart for long and if they were to ever get together like this again, he wouldn't want to leave them out. He's not sure if Scott and Jason were pleased or upset but it didn't matter because their attitudes changed once Don and Ricky encouraged them to bring them the next time.
The more the merrier, Ricky said.
It didn't happen right away but they did get together again. All of them, including Les and Abby. They meet at Alex's house, in fact. He introduces the rest of the guys to his Mom and as usual, she welcomes them into her family.
One day, days after that first meeting at Alicia's, Don and Ricky text everyone and invite them to Don's house for Sunday dinner at 3 p.m. sharp. That would just be the beginning.
The Beginning
(1,358 words)
5) Becoming one giant family hadn’t exactly been in Don and Ricky’s short term or long-term plans, but that didn’t mean they regretted a minute of it. Honestly, before they met the youngest four, they simply thought of themselves as just a great group of friends. They hung out, they talked about cars, tattoos, sex, video games, sports, girls… pretty much anything else that a group of teenage boys would talk about.
Meeting Scott and Jason had been one thing. They knew how guys worked, obviously, and they anticipated the posturing and false bravado (though God help them, they tried their best to hide it). Alex had told them straight up before then that they were in the eighth grade and had some rough childhoods. Still, Don and Ricky and the rest didn’t treat them any deferent than the rest of them. Along with some good-natured ribbing, as you do, they took the time to get to know them.
Truth was, Ricky could see elements of all of them in the two boys.
Mostly, they seemed like they were just trying to fucking survive.
After that evening (and assuring them if they wanted to invite the two girls next time, they’d be happy to meet them), and throughout the next couple of weeks, they’d come up in conversation with the larger group during a poker night or at a street race. Something told him that they could use some guidance – if they wanted it. His one and only class in high school psychology had taught him that much at least. (He signed up for the class because of a girl.)
They could tell that the girls were important to Scott and Jason, if by the looks on their faces when they not so subtly scowled at Alex when he brought them up, was of any indication. That last thing they likely wanted was Les or Abby to be hurt in any way. And, let’s be honest, they were a bunch of dudes. That was bound to happen at least once.
Open mouth. Insert foot.
It was a couple of weeks later before Don reached out to Alex to see if he had a location in mind for the entire group to meet – including Les and Abby. He didn’t want to make things awkward or make them feel out of place. It had been something the rest of them had discussed at length. Which, when Ricky thinks about it, was a clear indication that they didn’t want this to be awkward and wanted it to go well.
Alex decided, after some consulting with his Mom, that everyone could meet at his house. It was a location the four knew well and felt comfortable at and the rest of them could meet his Mom. It was a win-win.
Honestly, Ricky didn’t know what to expect when they all arrived that afternoon. What he hadn’t expected? Was to be welcomed in so warmly by Alicia and the insistence that they didn’t need to be so formal with her. She was so genuine that it honestly surprised him.
Hell, he was pretty sure it surprised all of them.
He wouldn’t be surprised, at all, if she grilled them later on any nefarious intentions they had. She seemed protective of her only son and he couldn’t blame her, really.
When the last four came through the door, having been dropped off, they were welcomed in with tight hugs by Alicia as she led them into the living room where the rest of them were sitting. Extra chairs from around the house were brought in so everyone could sit comfortably and not be excluded from the conversation.
Scott and Jason greeted each of them, but Ricky could tell Les and Abby’s walls were up as they held back. Not that he could really blame them. Two girls in a room of eight guys and some sort of mother figure? That was to be expected, he figured.
Scott took the lead and introduced Don, Ricky, Austin, Blake and Nathan.
“And that, Les and Abs, would be Alex,” Jason said with a teasing smile, motioning to Alex, as though they hadn’t known him for nearly a year already. “As well as his fabulous mom, Alicia. She makes some mean churros. And sopapillas.”
Ricky couldn’t resist grinning as some tension seemed to leave Les’ shoulders as she rolled her eyes.
“Thank you, J. Thank you for not forgetting Alex and Alicia like Scott so rudely did,” she said, nudging Scott teasingly with a little smile.
“He’s thoughtful like that, ain't he?” Abby asked with a little smile before making her way to an empty chair. “It’s nice to meet all of you.”
“They didn’t stop talking about you guys for at least a full day afterward,” Les said, walking to each of them to shake their hands in greeting. Although she wouldn’t acknowledge it, she’d been nervous coming here. But she faced it heads on and gave them a firm shake of her hand.
“Hey, hey – you said you’d keep that to yourself,” Scott protested with a grin, watching her before taking a seat. He was just glad that… well, so far so good? Neither of them was escaping to another room yet, so that was promising.
“I did no such thing,” Les replied before walking back over and taking the chair next to him.
Ricky shared an amused look with Don and the others.
It might’ve been awkward initially to get a conversation going – what do you talk about around a young teenager? Or, in Les and Abby’s case, what do you talk about with a bunch of guys who you don’t know?
It turns out, once Austin and Blake shared that they were into art and were wanting to eventually open up a tattoo parlor (after they’ve apprenticed obviously), they had Abby’s attention. They talked for quite a while about their work, what she liked most about art and what her favorite subjects/mediums were.
Les, on the other hand, had stayed to herself for a little longer before asking what the others did as hobbies or what they’d want to do eventually. When Don and Ricky got to talking about cars and how they planned to open up their own shop soon, she became fascinated.
“Maybe we can teach you sometime. All of you, if you want,” Don offered, giving the girl a smile.
Ricky noticed the way Les became guarded again as she shrugged a shoulder.
“Yeah, sure – that’d be fun,” she responded, as though she wouldn’t believe it until it happened.
Right then and there, a switch inside of Ricky flipped on. He realized that the four of them had probably been told or promised quite a few things over the years and nothing truly ever came of it. Perhaps, that was just Les, he wasn’t sure. You know what they say about assumptions and all that.
What he was sure about, and he could tell Don was already on board by his expression, was that he didn’t want to just be another person who doesn’t put their money where their mouth is.
After that, things lightened up again. Scott seemed to have a way to lower her defenses, though that likely had more to do with how long they’d known each other than anything else. Dinner had been fantastic and they’d left that night somehow changed.
It had been nice to share a meal with everyone around in that living room and to laugh at some snarky comment from Les or at the teasing banter between mother and son.
True to Ricky’s thought earlier in the afternoon, Alicia did corner them before they left and warned them if they were planning on harming the four (or her son), that she’d find some way to make them suffer.
It was both an expected and unexpected threat, considering he had only assumed that she'd be protective of Alex. But, they reassured her, all of them, that it was the last thing on their minds.
The next day, while working on a car that someone had dropped off, Ricky told Don, “we need to do that again. Perhaps at the house this time. Some kind of family dinner.”
The Girls
(738 Words)
6) Don and Ricky hadn't known the first thing about being a role model for two pre-teen girls. Oh, they’d like you to know they knew all about how to seduce and date girls in general (because of course they did) but Les and Abby were different.
Don wasn’t sure at what point they’d chosen to be a role model, let alone a good role model for them.
Maybe it was when he watched Abby be open with Austin and Blake and watched as they talked about art for a good hour or two at Alicia’s that first night.
Or, maybe it was when he offered to teach them about how to work on cars and while he could see a hint of interest in Les’ eyes, she also closed off faster than the blink of an eye.
She wasn’t holding her breath.
Or maybe, it was when they’d all come over a few weeks later for the first family dinner at their house and Don could truly see the real girls behind the self defense mechanisms.
Alicia couldn’t join them that afternoon, but she had sent Alex over with a platter of churros for dessert. How could they turn them down? They were excellent.
Don would be the last to admit it out loud, but he’d been a bit nervous about having everyone at their house. Did they have enough? Was there enough entertainment or things to do? Not so much for the other guys but for the youngest four and maybe especially for Les and Abby.
After the initial awkwardness, Ricky gave the tour of the house. Afterward, everyone went outside where Don fired the grill up and water and sodas were passed around.
From his place at the grill, Don watched as Abby, Austin and Blake started talking art again. She’d brought her sketch book and some pencils in her bag (apparently, she never left home without them) and was almost shyly showing her work to them.
Jason, Scott and Nathan were talking computers and where they could find some cheap laptops for their use. And no, Nathan said firmly, they were not going to steal from the school. Alex and he could hook them up with something.
Out of the corner of his eye, Don watched as Les made her way over to him. That was a surprise. “Having fun,” he asked, sending her a smile.
She stared at him for a long moment. Honestly, Don had never felt as judged as he did right then by anyone. Other than maybe Alicia when she threatened them with their lives if they ever hurt them.
“Were you serious,” she asked, finally. “About teaching us how to work on cars?”
He blinked; a bit taken back by the tone to her voice. Don wasn’t sure how to describe it but the last thing he wanted to be was another person who didn’t put their money where their mouth was when it came to them.
“Yeah, yeah, I was serious,” Don said, bringing his bottle of water up to his mouth for a drink. He would be damned if he’d admit that it was purely because he was nervous and had to do something with his hands. “Ricky and I grew up around cars, you know. We plan to open our own shop within the year. We’d be happy to teach you.”
Honestly, Don didn’t think they would be interested. Jason and Scott, maybe. But, Les and Abby? Cars and working on them wasn’t something Ricky or he had seen a lot of girls be interested in to be frank.
Again, there was the look and damn did it hurt to know that someone or multiple someone's put that doubt in her mind (and in the rest of theirs since he doubted it was a Les thing).
Finally, Les nodded. “Good, because when I get a car, I don’t want to have to rely on a dumbass to fix it for me,” she said. There was no question of if she ever got a car; it was a matter of when and that made him smile.
That was likely the most real he’d seen her be around them so far.
Don liked it.
“Smart girl,” he said with a wide grin then nodded his head. “How about after we eat, we have our first lesson?” Don didn’t want to wait until a next time.
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
The Gangs & Pseudo-Mafia
(331 Words)
7) Life wasn’t all fun and games before or after the arrival of the other guys.
As what usually happens with kids who don’t have any parental support or supervision in the rougher neighborhoods, Scott and Jason were quickly introduced into gang life and formed connections with those who had deeper pockets. They did everything they could to keep Les and Abby away from their associates and wouldstupidly threaten anyone who even tried to pull them into the life.
Somehow, they managed to keep them away. It wasn’t that said associates didn’t know about Les and Abby, they did. They were introduced to one or two of them – the ones S and J thought they could trust just a little more than the rest of them.
The downside of it was they then knew Les and Abby would be their weakness and while they loathed having that out there, it was a decision they had to make. If it meant they were protected.
Les and Abby hated when Scott and Jason were off doing what they were then obligated to do and hated it even more when drugs became involved.
Somewhere and somehow, maybe in part because of Don and Ricky, they were able to leave after a final favor or a final job.
Afterward, if a favor was needed, a payment had to be made.
It goes without saying that both Scott and Jason have blood on their hands.
Whenever they had to go away for a few days at a time, they would urge Les and Abby to either stay at Alex’s or, later, at Don’s.
It’s not something Les likes to think back on too often but it is something that hangs like a dark shadow over much of their arguments through the early years.
It’s not like they gave it up completely. While it’s not arms, drugs or sex they’re dealing with, the group does actively do what it can to protect neighborhoods that need it.
More will be added as time goes on.
The "Parents"
(227 words)
1) Michael and Angela were actually really excited to have a child. Initially. They were clean for most of the pregnancy - made sure they had a safe home (even if the neighborhood was bad) and got a room sorted out, a name was chosen (Alessandra Marie Morgan - Alessandra meaning "Defender of Mankind") and did everything they could to make sure they had a healthy little girl. It was during those first few weeks after her birth when things changed and the shit hit the fan. Having an infant wasn't easy and their past was coming back to haunt them... they wanted to drink and do drugs instead of raising their newborn daughter. The drugs and the alcohol won out.
Ultimately, they dug themselves deeper into the drug hole and alcohol puddle because it was easier instead of facing what their lives were becoming. When she entered grade school and started spending more time with friends, they were actually happy because it meant they didn't have to deal with her daily. When school forms needed to be signed, they always sat on the coffee table that was scattered with cans, bottles, and drug paraphilia with a $20 bill (sometimes more - depending on what it was). It was the only way she or one of the guys could guarantee that she'd be enrolled for the next year.
The Little Bodega Down the Street
(369 words)
2) Claudia, the older woman who ran the bodega down the street with her husband Jon wasn't thrilled with the little thieves at first. In fact, she had been initially upset and would talk to Jon about what they could do to deter it. But he told her: "Claud, next time, just watch and tell me what you see."
He was always so patient.
The next time, she did watch and took notice of how thin the boy was and how little the girl who stood by his side (or sometimes stayed outside) was. She knew they couldn't save everyone in the neighborhood, that wasn't their calling. But, if they could help those two little kids who looked like they didn't eat enough or have someone looking out for them, then they would do what little they could.
Something told her they wouldn't want their pity or handouts.
So.
She learned their names and what they liked or would come in for. And later, when Scott would come in, she would make sure she made a show of it but generally let them take the little bit they came in for.
In her store, she noticed they never took too much. Some Hostess snack cakes, a bag of chips, but the "biggest" was the bag of pepperoni, salami, or some sort of easy to store protein.
When they started what she assumed was middle school, she started to see them less and less.
When they did see them in the neighborhood, they had a few more friends, usually older guys (probably high school). Oh, she became so very concerned about that little girl and her other girlfriend. It was so easy to be taken advantage of in this neighborhood. But she remembered what Jon had told her all those years ago and simply watched. She saw how those guys took care of both girls, how they treated Scott and Jason - it wasn't in any sort of creepy or perverted way. No, they seemed to look out for them and protect them. Like older brothers would.
There are times when she feels guilty that they didn't do more or try to do more to help them. She hopes that she and their little bodega were able to be some sort of goodness in their obviously rough childhood.
The Best Friends (Jason + Abby)
(601 words)
3. Much like Scott and Les, Jason Cummings and Abigail Stevenson met each other when they were around 3-4 years old. Although the houses were larger in their neighborhood, kept up better and their parents had some sort of careers, they were just as negligent and had their own vices.
As soon as Jason was born, his parents hired a full-time live-in nanny and spent more time away from their son than they did with him. They had realized early on in the pregnancy that they “simply weren’t parenting material”, at least that’s what they’d tell Jason later on before he stopped taking their calls and moved out.
In those early years, they’d send money, kept the house going but they weren’t at all invested in his life. They made sure he had an education and whatever material things he needed but they were very hands-off. The nanny’s tried but they could only do it for so long before moving onto the next family. One that might be more present than Jason’s.
It was one of the early nannies in his life, that he could remember, that introduced him to Abby, who would become his first and best friend.
Her name was Julie and she was nice enough. She made sure he ate, was taken care of, and that he had plenty of opportunities to socialize with other kids his age. In the time she was with the Cummings, she had realized the family next door was rather busy themselves and had a little girl. One afternoon, seeing the mother return home looking a bit worn down, she offered to start watching the little girl alongside Jason during the day. It didn’t take long before her offer was taken up on and she had two three-year-olds to watch.
People thought she was nuts.
Truth was, they were good for each and kept each other entertained (and usually out of trouble).
Abby Stevenson’s parents were also rather wealthy, but they worked a ton. They had a large house and at some point, Les would take over a spare bedroom. They probably didn’t necessarily intend to be negligent parents to their daughter but being part of the Silicon Valley boom required a lot of work. They were grateful when the nice nanny next door offered to watch their three-year-old daughter and took her up on it within hours. It was nice that Abby would have a friend to play with and socialize with. She was a quiet child but very artistic. She enjoyed drawing, painting, and coloring. Jason was more outgoing than she was and would encourage her to try new things. It was Jason who introduced her to sports and her love for basketball.
When Julie ultimately had to move on and leave the Cummings household, she made sure she told the next nanny to keep the two together. Ultimately, she told them, it would make their jobs a lot easier. The first one after Julie, her name was Samantha, didn't believe it and didn’t take her advice right away. She had experience and knew how to handle a little boy. It was within 48 hours that she changed her mind and called the family next door to let them know she would be willing to watch Abby as well. It would be something that subsequent nannies would continue to do until Jason could take care of himself. Over the next few years, Jason and Abby came to rely on one another. When they entered Kindergarten, they were both very happy to learn they were going to the same school and would be in the same classroom.
It would be the first day of school where they would meet Scott and Les, who would become their best friends.
The Family
(1810 words)
4) Donovin "Don" Perez and Ricky Camerino grew up together. Their fathers had known each other and had worked/raced with each other for a number of years before that. They built some sort of wealth to pass onto their only sons and whether that had anything to do with illegal dealings, well whose to say. They bought rather large houses in between real estate booms when prices weren't exactly low, but they were low enough. Their mothers weren't in the picture but it's unclear where they went or what happened to them.
The two men taught the boys everything they knew about cars (and ultimately about driving/racing). Enough that when the two entered high school, they took every shop class they could and spent every free period in the shop just so they could learn more. It wasn't long before they started working on their classmate's cars outside of school. It was only logical they would start dreaming up their own autobody and detailing shop. Honestly, by the end of their senior year, they could have taught the entry-level classes.
By their senior year, their fathers were either gone or in prison or simply out of the picture. The houses were clean and paid off, so they went to Don and Ricky. Eventually, these would be consolidated into one household. It cost far too much to keep up two households when selling one would keep them going for a while. It would become a surprise to the both of them when they become the head of a household within the next couple of years.
Blake Andrews had moved to San Francisco from Oregon with his parents right before he entered high school. Honestly, if they were going to move, he was glad it was before high school started; it made it easier to start a new school year when you aren't the only new person in the class.
Blake met Austin Thompson first, they were both a couple of years younger than Don and Ricky. The first class they had together was a science class during their Freshman year where they both spent an inordinate amount of time drawing instead of paying attention to whatever the teacher was droning on about. Teens, amiright?
Another classmate introduced them by encouraging Blake to switch spots with him so he could sit next to a cute girl. It was okay, the girl annoyed Blake (she was cute but definitely not his type) so he took his new seat and pulled out the book and his sketchbook. Austin and Blake struck up a conversation that day and were as thick as thieves from then on. They would meet Don and Ricky in a shop class during their Sophomore year. They wouldn't start talking about opening a tattoo parlor until their Senior year.
When Nathan Hargrove entered high school, he only took the shop class because he figured it'd be an easy class. His family wasn't the wealthiest around but they weren't hurting for money either. They had moved south from Eureka, California when Nathan was in middle school and his parents were pleased when he quickly formed friendships with the other kids at school even though he was new. It wasn't that he was anti-social by any means, he was just particular about those he spent his time around.
He quickly formed a tight friendship with Alex Hernandez, who was a year younger than him, and they bonded over basically anything having to do with electronics. Their favorite was by far computers and how far they could push or learn about them. This would eventually lead them into some form of security and the ins and outs of hacking/penetration testing. But that was still a way off.
It wasn't until the fourth shop class that he noticed a few older students coming in during their class to talk to the teacher or help out in the shop. In fact, sometimes it looked like they were working on their own projects and to be honest, that absolutely fascinated him. One day, about halfway through his Freshman year, he overheard them talk about something to do with the car's electronic system that they couldn't figure out. While he knew less than they did about cars obviously, he had a gut feeling he could help them out. He introduced himself to Don, Ricky, and Austin that day and never regretted it for a second.
Alex had grown up in a single-parent household. His Mom, Alicia, was amazing and was always helping people out. She was the neighborhood's favorite, especially at the block parties - she'd always bring fresh churros and her infamous chiles en nogada. She worked as a nurse at a doctor's office in the neighborhood and always managed to be there for her son. She worried about him, she knew what boys without father figures could be exposed to in the rougher barrios and she never wanted that for her son. Alicia made sure to tell Alex that they were okay and he could come to her any time if he needed something and they'd manage. Alex meanwhile always worried about his mom. He knew how much she worked so she could provide a decent life for them in a city where it was hard to make it by.
As for Alex, he would be lying if he said he hadn't been a little jealous that his best friend was already in high school and making new friends. Imagine his surprise when Nate invited him over one day after school - it was well into January now and he introduced him to his new high school friends. Frankly, they seemed much cooler than anyone else he knew (other than Nate of course). He wasn't really sure what he could really add to their dynamic but it didn't seem to matter. They had all seemed to bond over cars and tattoos and well, he could get into that. If Nate could then he could!
Look.
They were cool high school guys. So, of course he wanted to fit in with them!
For his last elective in middle school, he decided to take a shop class. What could it hurt? Besides, taking it made him feel closer to his best friend and his new friends who were all in some sort of shop class in high school. This way, he figured, he'd have something to talk about. The class was filled with both eighth-graders and seventh-graders. This is where he'd meet Scott Richards and Jason Cummings. He could tell school was the last place where they wanted to be and honestly, they only showed up half the time. But, who was he to judge? After class one day, one that they had attended and didn't' sneak out during, Alex watched them walk straight to two girls who were waiting for them.
Honestly, the two guys were pretty guarded (later Alex would understand why) but he would always say hello to them and ask how they were. Sometimes the trio was paired up together on various tasks. Gradually they became less guarded around him and after class one day
even introduced him to the two girls who were always either waiting since their class always got out earlier than theirs or were waiting just down the hall.
With how Scott and Jason always acted around Les (she was never introduced as Alessandra) and Abby (short for Abigail, a name she refused to answer to), he always assumed they were two young couples. He was surprised to find out they weren't and were just simply protective of them. It felt so easy to ask them to come home with him one day after school. He knew that his Mom would want to meet them and honestly it looked like they could use a good meal (or two). They were hesitant and declined the first time and the second time. But after the third time (and making sure his Mom was okay with the company), they accepted.
Alicia loved them from the moment they walked into the house and invited them over as much she could. She didn't want to overwhelm them. She could tell they weren't used to much affection. Alicia made sure they knew that even though Alex was going to high school in the next year, they were still welcome at their house.
When the four moved up to the eighth-grade (by the skin of their teeth, let's be real) and Alex went to high school, the group felt a pang of loss. Not that any of them would exactly admit it but it had been nice to have a friend in school that wasn't, well...them. People leaving and not doing what they say is something they've grown to expect.
So, it was a surprise when Alex kept in contact by calling or texting them. Alicia made sure to text at least once a week to make sure they were doing okay and to see if they needed anything. She also invited them over to dinner often.
One night, during the first semester of eighth-grade/ninth-grade, Alex called up Scott and Jason to see if they wanted to come over and meet some friends that he'd made. He wasn't sure if it was appropriate to invite Les and Abby yet since he wasn't sure what the other guys would think of two girls coming into the picture. Not only that but he had a feeling that Scott and Jason would want to vet them first.
That night, Scott and Jason met Don, Rick, Austin, Blake, and Nathan. Scott and Jason try to play badass but Alex can tell that Don and Ricky saw through it. He hadn't known the oldest members of the group for long but he knew they grew up together (from what Nate had been able to pick up and learn from them) and had gone through rough patches themselves as two kids. Les and Abby were brought up in the conversation by Alex since he knew the four were never apart for long and if they were to ever get together like this again, he wouldn't want to leave them out. He's not sure if Scott and Jason were pleased or upset but it didn't matter because their attitudes changed once Don and Ricky encouraged them to bring them the next time.
The more the merrier, Ricky said.
It didn't happen right away but they did get together again. All of them, including Les and Abby. They meet at Alex's house, in fact. He introduces the rest of the guys to his Mom and as usual, she welcomes them into her family.
One day, days after that first meeting at Alicia's, Don and Ricky text everyone and invite them to Don's house for Sunday dinner at 3 p.m. sharp. That would just be the beginning.
The Beginning
(1,358 words)
5) Becoming one giant family hadn’t exactly been in Don and Ricky’s short term or long-term plans, but that didn’t mean they regretted a minute of it. Honestly, before they met the youngest four, they simply thought of themselves as just a great group of friends. They hung out, they talked about cars, tattoos, sex, video games, sports, girls… pretty much anything else that a group of teenage boys would talk about.
Meeting Scott and Jason had been one thing. They knew how guys worked, obviously, and they anticipated the posturing and false bravado (though God help them, they tried their best to hide it). Alex had told them straight up before then that they were in the eighth grade and had some rough childhoods. Still, Don and Ricky and the rest didn’t treat them any deferent than the rest of them. Along with some good-natured ribbing, as you do, they took the time to get to know them.
Truth was, Ricky could see elements of all of them in the two boys.
Mostly, they seemed like they were just trying to fucking survive.
After that evening (and assuring them if they wanted to invite the two girls next time, they’d be happy to meet them), and throughout the next couple of weeks, they’d come up in conversation with the larger group during a poker night or at a street race. Something told him that they could use some guidance – if they wanted it. His one and only class in high school psychology had taught him that much at least. (He signed up for the class because of a girl.)
They could tell that the girls were important to Scott and Jason, if by the looks on their faces when they not so subtly scowled at Alex when he brought them up, was of any indication. That last thing they likely wanted was Les or Abby to be hurt in any way. And, let’s be honest, they were a bunch of dudes. That was bound to happen at least once.
Open mouth. Insert foot.
It was a couple of weeks later before Don reached out to Alex to see if he had a location in mind for the entire group to meet – including Les and Abby. He didn’t want to make things awkward or make them feel out of place. It had been something the rest of them had discussed at length. Which, when Ricky thinks about it, was a clear indication that they didn’t want this to be awkward and wanted it to go well.
Alex decided, after some consulting with his Mom, that everyone could meet at his house. It was a location the four knew well and felt comfortable at and the rest of them could meet his Mom. It was a win-win.
Honestly, Ricky didn’t know what to expect when they all arrived that afternoon. What he hadn’t expected? Was to be welcomed in so warmly by Alicia and the insistence that they didn’t need to be so formal with her. She was so genuine that it honestly surprised him.
Hell, he was pretty sure it surprised all of them.
He wouldn’t be surprised, at all, if she grilled them later on any nefarious intentions they had. She seemed protective of her only son and he couldn’t blame her, really.
When the last four came through the door, having been dropped off, they were welcomed in with tight hugs by Alicia as she led them into the living room where the rest of them were sitting. Extra chairs from around the house were brought in so everyone could sit comfortably and not be excluded from the conversation.
Scott and Jason greeted each of them, but Ricky could tell Les and Abby’s walls were up as they held back. Not that he could really blame them. Two girls in a room of eight guys and some sort of mother figure? That was to be expected, he figured.
Scott took the lead and introduced Don, Ricky, Austin, Blake and Nathan.
“And that, Les and Abs, would be Alex,” Jason said with a teasing smile, motioning to Alex, as though they hadn’t known him for nearly a year already. “As well as his fabulous mom, Alicia. She makes some mean churros. And sopapillas.”
Ricky couldn’t resist grinning as some tension seemed to leave Les’ shoulders as she rolled her eyes.
“Thank you, J. Thank you for not forgetting Alex and Alicia like Scott so rudely did,” she said, nudging Scott teasingly with a little smile.
“He’s thoughtful like that, ain't he?” Abby asked with a little smile before making her way to an empty chair. “It’s nice to meet all of you.”
“They didn’t stop talking about you guys for at least a full day afterward,” Les said, walking to each of them to shake their hands in greeting. Although she wouldn’t acknowledge it, she’d been nervous coming here. But she faced it heads on and gave them a firm shake of her hand.
“Hey, hey – you said you’d keep that to yourself,” Scott protested with a grin, watching her before taking a seat. He was just glad that… well, so far so good? Neither of them was escaping to another room yet, so that was promising.
“I did no such thing,” Les replied before walking back over and taking the chair next to him.
Ricky shared an amused look with Don and the others.
It might’ve been awkward initially to get a conversation going – what do you talk about around a young teenager? Or, in Les and Abby’s case, what do you talk about with a bunch of guys who you don’t know?
It turns out, once Austin and Blake shared that they were into art and were wanting to eventually open up a tattoo parlor (after they’ve apprenticed obviously), they had Abby’s attention. They talked for quite a while about their work, what she liked most about art and what her favorite subjects/mediums were.
Les, on the other hand, had stayed to herself for a little longer before asking what the others did as hobbies or what they’d want to do eventually. When Don and Ricky got to talking about cars and how they planned to open up their own shop soon, she became fascinated.
“Maybe we can teach you sometime. All of you, if you want,” Don offered, giving the girl a smile.
Ricky noticed the way Les became guarded again as she shrugged a shoulder.
“Yeah, sure – that’d be fun,” she responded, as though she wouldn’t believe it until it happened.
Right then and there, a switch inside of Ricky flipped on. He realized that the four of them had probably been told or promised quite a few things over the years and nothing truly ever came of it. Perhaps, that was just Les, he wasn’t sure. You know what they say about assumptions and all that.
What he was sure about, and he could tell Don was already on board by his expression, was that he didn’t want to just be another person who doesn’t put their money where their mouth is.
After that, things lightened up again. Scott seemed to have a way to lower her defenses, though that likely had more to do with how long they’d known each other than anything else. Dinner had been fantastic and they’d left that night somehow changed.
It had been nice to share a meal with everyone around in that living room and to laugh at some snarky comment from Les or at the teasing banter between mother and son.
True to Ricky’s thought earlier in the afternoon, Alicia did corner them before they left and warned them if they were planning on harming the four (or her son), that she’d find some way to make them suffer.
It was both an expected and unexpected threat, considering he had only assumed that she'd be protective of Alex. But, they reassured her, all of them, that it was the last thing on their minds.
The next day, while working on a car that someone had dropped off, Ricky told Don, “we need to do that again. Perhaps at the house this time. Some kind of family dinner.”
The Girls
(738 Words)
6) Don and Ricky hadn't known the first thing about being a role model for two pre-teen girls. Oh, they’d like you to know they knew all about how to seduce and date girls in general (because of course they did) but Les and Abby were different.
Don wasn’t sure at what point they’d chosen to be a role model, let alone a good role model for them.
Maybe it was when he watched Abby be open with Austin and Blake and watched as they talked about art for a good hour or two at Alicia’s that first night.
Or, maybe it was when he offered to teach them about how to work on cars and while he could see a hint of interest in Les’ eyes, she also closed off faster than the blink of an eye.
She wasn’t holding her breath.
Or maybe, it was when they’d all come over a few weeks later for the first family dinner at their house and Don could truly see the real girls behind the self defense mechanisms.
Alicia couldn’t join them that afternoon, but she had sent Alex over with a platter of churros for dessert. How could they turn them down? They were excellent.
Don would be the last to admit it out loud, but he’d been a bit nervous about having everyone at their house. Did they have enough? Was there enough entertainment or things to do? Not so much for the other guys but for the youngest four and maybe especially for Les and Abby.
After the initial awkwardness, Ricky gave the tour of the house. Afterward, everyone went outside where Don fired the grill up and water and sodas were passed around.
From his place at the grill, Don watched as Abby, Austin and Blake started talking art again. She’d brought her sketch book and some pencils in her bag (apparently, she never left home without them) and was almost shyly showing her work to them.
Jason, Scott and Nathan were talking computers and where they could find some cheap laptops for their use. And no, Nathan said firmly, they were not going to steal from the school. Alex and he could hook them up with something.
Out of the corner of his eye, Don watched as Les made her way over to him. That was a surprise. “Having fun,” he asked, sending her a smile.
She stared at him for a long moment. Honestly, Don had never felt as judged as he did right then by anyone. Other than maybe Alicia when she threatened them with their lives if they ever hurt them.
“Were you serious,” she asked, finally. “About teaching us how to work on cars?”
He blinked; a bit taken back by the tone to her voice. Don wasn’t sure how to describe it but the last thing he wanted to be was another person who didn’t put their money where their mouth was when it came to them.
“Yeah, yeah, I was serious,” Don said, bringing his bottle of water up to his mouth for a drink. He would be damned if he’d admit that it was purely because he was nervous and had to do something with his hands. “Ricky and I grew up around cars, you know. We plan to open our own shop within the year. We’d be happy to teach you.”
Honestly, Don didn’t think they would be interested. Jason and Scott, maybe. But, Les and Abby? Cars and working on them wasn’t something Ricky or he had seen a lot of girls be interested in to be frank.
Again, there was the look and damn did it hurt to know that someone or multiple someone's put that doubt in her mind (and in the rest of theirs since he doubted it was a Les thing).
Finally, Les nodded. “Good, because when I get a car, I don’t want to have to rely on a dumbass to fix it for me,” she said. There was no question of if she ever got a car; it was a matter of when and that made him smile.
That was likely the most real he’d seen her be around them so far.
Don liked it.
“Smart girl,” he said with a wide grin then nodded his head. “How about after we eat, we have our first lesson?” Don didn’t want to wait until a next time.
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
The Gangs & Pseudo-Mafia
(331 Words)
7) Life wasn’t all fun and games before or after the arrival of the other guys.
As what usually happens with kids who don’t have any parental support or supervision in the rougher neighborhoods, Scott and Jason were quickly introduced into gang life and formed connections with those who had deeper pockets. They did everything they could to keep Les and Abby away from their associates and would
Somehow, they managed to keep them away. It wasn’t that said associates didn’t know about Les and Abby, they did. They were introduced to one or two of them – the ones S and J thought they could trust just a little more than the rest of them.
The downside of it was they then knew Les and Abby would be their weakness and while they loathed having that out there, it was a decision they had to make. If it meant they were protected.
Les and Abby hated when Scott and Jason were off doing what they were then obligated to do and hated it even more when drugs became involved.
Somewhere and somehow, maybe in part because of Don and Ricky, they were able to leave after a final favor or a final job.
Afterward, if a favor was needed, a payment had to be made.
It goes without saying that both Scott and Jason have blood on their hands.
Whenever they had to go away for a few days at a time, they would urge Les and Abby to either stay at Alex’s or, later, at Don’s.
It’s not something Les likes to think back on too often but it is something that hangs like a dark shadow over much of their arguments through the early years.
It’s not like they gave it up completely. While it’s not arms, drugs or sex they’re dealing with, the group does actively do what it can to protect neighborhoods that need it.